Scales of Destiny
by serenadesirene
Summary: [AU] The Millennium Scales have been passed from Shadi to another worthy of holding them. But as soon as she receives the mysterious Scales, she starts having bizarre dreams about things that happened thousands of years ago...FULL SUMMARY INSIDE
1. Prolouge

_**Scales of Destiny**_

**Authors' Note: **Here's a prologue to a story written by me, Toxic, and the awesome Voices-in-my-head0304. I hope you like it!

**Summary: **The Millennium Scales have been passed from Shadi to another worthy of holding them. But as soon as she receives the mysterious scales, she starts having bizarre dreams about things that happened thousands of years ago. Each dream ends with a soothing voice and a calming face. Can she meet this mysterious stranger in Domino City?

**Chapter Summary:** A prologue, don't know quite how to explain it . . . . Set in Pharaoh Atem's (Yami) POV

**Prologue**

_**Five Thousand Years Ago**_

I stared outside at the horizon, watching as the day slowly bled into night. The featherlike strand of light that remained faded away, giving in to the crushing power of the darkness. My life is filled with it now. The darkness and shadows practically run in my veins. The Shadow Games are getting harder, and there are many more things at risk than there used to be.

My wife was in danger as well. Many enchantments had been placed upon her so that no harm may come to her, and I was confident in my Priests' magical abilities.

She could see the worry in my eyes I could in hers as well whenever she looked at me. The darkness was showing in my skin it was paler than the normal tan of the Egyptian hue.

I would sometimes drift off without knowing, my eyes darkening and clouding while I drift into the catacombs of my mind.

"Does something worry you my Pharaoh?" came a voice from behind me. I unconsciously flinched, startled by another presence.

"Every thing worries me now. I have no control over anything anymore," I answered as my body relaxed.

"That is not true. You should not be worried, your people are at your side, as am I," she whispered into my ear as I turned to face her.

Queen Zuka stared back at me, her brilliant green eyes boring into my violet ones. Her hand rested comfortably on her swollen belly, as if protecting our unborn child. The heir to my throne.

"You have always known the words to calm me," I smiled.

She smiled back, "I am glad that I can still make you smile."

She always _could_ make me smile. She knew the shadow games were draining me and making me weak. And everyday she always bubbled full of hope no matter what trouble I faced, she prayed, and gave me the courage and willpower to win.

"You will always make me smile, for all eternity and a thousand life-times."

"I shall be yours forever?" I could see the joy gleaming on her face. It was like a disease, I couldn't help but smile.

"You shall be mine forever," I repeated.

"I would not have it any other way. Come Your Highness, you have been thinking too hard lately. Join me for dinner," she said as she began to walk out of the chamber. I took one last look at the night sky before walking out after her.

She disappeared into the shadows of our palace. Again I looked at the bloody orb hovering in the sky; I basked in the warm light of the setting sun. Wanting to keep it there forever, so I could remember the warmth during my next game, whenever that would be.

I walked into the dining chamber and Zuka's smiling face greeted me as she placed herself in the chair to the left of mine; leaving plenty of room for her stomach, as to not squash it.

"Shall we start now my pharaoh?" She still had the etiquette from her peasantry.

"Yes, Zuka, I suppose we shall." I murmured as I gently brushed my thumb across her cheek. Her skin was as smooth as the silk garb she was wearing; if not smoother.

Our dinners were silent as they have been since the wars broke out. We decided that unless it is a joyous occasion we should be silent. We have been silent with the exception of the news of Zuka's pregnancy; that was seven months ago.

Afterwards I escorted her to our sleeping chamber. As she laid on the bed I took off my necklaces and other jewelry.

"Oh no, my Pharaoh, your shivering," She piped up as I lay down on the bed. "I couldn't live with myself if I let you go through the night like this."

"Zuka I'm fine," I demanded but she insisted and eventually walked into the shadows of the hallway.

I waited impatiently as I paced around the room. "I should have gone with her." I realized in worriment.

In the distance a scream sliced through the too-still-air. I bolted at the door and stopped, dumbstruck, not believing what lay in front of my eyes.

And yet, it seems that that simple conversation on the balcony, and the perfect normal night had taken place years ago, but it truth, only an hour or two. Now I look at Zuka's pale body, her emerald eyes frozen open in fear. The baby she carried within her is dead, not even having a chance to live. A gaping wound lies near Zuka's heart, and blood seeps through her royal robes. Her Millennium Scales, gifted with powers like my own Millennium Puzzle, have droplets of blood spatter on them; the feather of Ma'at resting in its place. The crown she wore, so like mine with the Eye of Ra has been removed and spat upon, like she never deserved it. And next to her, in her left was the blanket that she had left to go get me.

It was the blanket a grateful citizen had weaved with the last of her yarn after I had saved her husband from the shadow realm. The blanket lay stained, a beautiful purple blanket with the Eye of Ra emblazed in the middle, a crimson splotch ruining the perfection that it once had.

"I _should_ have gone with her." I realized, if I had gone this wouldn't have happened. She would still be alive. It's my entire fault.

Unshed tears are hidden behind my eyes, but I will not cry. I loved her so much. So much that I never took another wife, so much that I believed we would be together for eternity.

I rack my mind, trying to piece together who could have done such a sickening act, who could have murdered the Queen.

"It is not your fault, Pharoah." comes a sweet voice from behind me. I turn to find the Priestess Isis, her eyes closed and bowing.

"Yes it is Isis, I will not even be able to find the traitor. Nobody was here." I said guiltily.

"You know there is a way Pharaoh," Isis said sweetly, she bowed her head slightly, not meeting my red, swollen, eyes. "Shall I?"

"Yes," I answer as her Millennium Necklace glows and a brilliant Eye of Ra appears on her forehead. She gasps as she opens her eyes. There is an emotion burning through them that I recognize all too well. Hatred is running through her veins. "Who was it?"

"Where is Priest Seto?"

It then dawns on me. Priest Seto Kaiba. The Holder of the Millennium Rod. If Zuka was not able to bear an heir, he would become Pharaoh when I pass on. Without Zuka in the way, he could be the next Pharaoh of Egypt.

I pounded through the halls, my heart pounding, blood boiling, my thoughts racing.

"Where are you, you traitor!" I shouted, "I know you're here, you're here somewhere, and when I find you, I'll get my revenge, you'll regret doing your hideous deed…come out Seto, you traitor!" I wailed, my screams tearing through the cries over the lost queen.

My blood boils. A voice resounds inside my mind, echoing throughout it.

"_I see you've seen my little 'surprise' my 'Pharaoh'?" _came Kaiba's cackling voice.


	2. Shizuku Atoma

_**Scales of Destiny**_

**Summary:** The Millennium Scales have been passed from Shadi to another worthy of holding them. But as soon as she receives the mysterious scales, she starts having bizarre dreams about things that happened thousands of years ago. Each dream ends with the same soothing voice and calming face. Can she meet this mysterious stranger in Domino City?

**Chapter Summary:** Tèa's pen pal from New York has come to Domino City for a year, and is eager to take in all the sights. But could her sights possibly be set on Yugi?

**Authors' Note: **This story is a dual effort. Voices-in-my-head0304 and toxiccherrycola are working together to create an _awesome_ Yu-Gi-Oh! story. Whenever something is phrased as 'Yugi', that means that it is Yugi. Whenever something is phrased as 'Yami', 'Pharaoh', or 'Atem' we are talking about the Spirit. Got it? Good.

**Chapter One**

_**Shizuku Atoma**_

_Dear T_è_a,_

_It's nice to be writing to you again, and soon I'll be talking to you face to face . . . ._

_My plane should arrive at the airport in Domino City around noon the Saturday before school starts . . . . I'd love to take you up to your offer of a tour!_

_I can't wait to go to your school and meet all your friends . . . .I would most like to know more about your friend Yugi Motou and his 'Millennium Puzzle'. I've always been interested in Egyptian History and Mythology._

_Sincerely,_

_Shizuku Atoma_

_P.S. Included is a recent photo of me so you can tell who I am at the airport. See you soon!_

Tèa Gardner shifted the letter back and forth between her hands. Her pen pal from America's flight was over two hours late.

A nervous looking teenager walked quietly around groups of excited travelers. Her deep set emerald eyes scanned the crowd, and she walked slowly towards Tèa. Her long raven hair hung to the middle of her back, contrasting with the white tank-top she was wearing.

"Tèa, is that you?" the green eyed girl said meekly.

"Yeah, Shizuku, right?" Tèa stammered, trying to make sure to pronounce her pen pal's name right. Shizuku nodded as Tèa said, "It's a good thing you got in, I was about to check to make sure I had the right day." She paused. "Ready for your tour of Domino City?" Tèa squealed for the first time in ages.

Ever since Yugi won the Battle City Crown, Tèa woke up every morning expecting him to have disappeared forever. Luckily for her, that day hadn't come yet.

"Tèa, are you alright?" Shizuku asked politely as the two of them stepped out into Domino City.

"Yeah," Tèa murmured, realizing she had drifted off.

"Then let's go on that tour," Shizuku smiled.

"Well, I guess the first thing you should see is my house, but there are other things along the way, like the Game Shop," Tèa said as she pointed towards the game shop. "Maybe Yugi and Mr. Motou are there, you can meet them."

Shizuku saw an old man carefully sweeping the cement outside the door of the game shop. He smiled widely when he saw Tèa.

"Hello Tèa! I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting your friend," he beamed.

"I'm Shizuku Atoma," she smiled equally as wide as she shook the old man's hand.

"Solomon Motou, pleased to meet you," he then turned toward Tèa. "Yugi and Joey are upstairs playing Duel Monsters, I'm sure they'd love to see you."

"Thank you Mr. Motou," Shizuku smiled as she and Tèa walked into the Game Shop.

A groan came from behind a closed door and Tèa smiled. "Joey's _definitely _in there."

"Yugi, dat's the _sixth _time ya've wasted all my monsters. You take all the fun outta Duel Monsters when ya don't even give me a chance at winning!"

"Joey, Yugi, you mind if we come in?" Tèa asked as she knocked on the door.

"Whaddaver. At least give me a chance this time Yuge," came Joey's frustrated voice from behind the door. Tèa opened the door and both she and Shizuku stepped into the small room. The bed and desk had been moved to the side of the room to make space for a Duel Monsters game. A short spiky haired boy smiled as he shuffled the boy across from his deck. The boy across from him was taller and blond and grumbled as he shuffled his opponents' deck.

"Hi Tèa, who's your friend?" the spiky haired boy asked as he smiled wider. Shizuku blushed before Tèa introduced her.

"This is Shizuku Atoma. She's my pen pal from New York, and she's going to stay with me for a year."

"Hi Shizuku, I'm Yugi Motou."

'Yugi, I am receiving a vague aura from Shizuku. I think I know her from somewhere,' Yami spoke to Yugi.

"Let's get on with dis duel already. I'm not ready to lose again Yuge," the boy Shizuku assumed to be Joey grumbled as he took his deck and drew five cards.

"You guys mind if I watch your duel, I'm into Duel Monsters big time," Shizuku smiled as she sat down on the floor. Tèa sat across the floor from her.

"Go ahead, I'm about to wipe Joey out again."

"Dat's what you think," Joey said as he looked up for the first time. "Who's dat?" he asked as he looked at Shizuku.

"Joey, you don't have any common courtesy at all, do you?" Tèa sweatdropped.

"I dunno. But who is dat?"

"I'm Shizuku Atoma, Tèa's pen pal," Shizuku said exasperated. She could already tell how much of a knucklehead Joey was.

"Oh yeah, Tèa mentioned something about you coming. Joey Wheeler," he said as he turned his attention back toward his cards.

"You know, I almost didn't believe Tèa when she said that she was friends with you two. I mean the winner of both Duelist Kingdom and Battle City and the runner up?" Shizuku smiled. Tèa had also told her of Joey's big head.

"Yeah, I am a pretty good duelist, aren't I? Maybe after this match I could teach you a few tricks," Joey said as his ego inflated _big_ time.

"Of course," it was Shizuku's turn to sweatdrop.

"Okay Joey, you ready to duel?" Yugi asked as he glanced quickly at his cards. It was only then that Shizuku noticed the upside down pyramid on a chain around his neck. Sure, she had noticed it before, but now that she was closer to it, she saw a distinctive eye across its front. A wave of recognition overwhelmed her. She knew that she had seen that somewhere. But where? Her mind was probably playing tricks on her. She had never seen Yugi's Millennium Puzzle before, how could she recognize it?

Joey put up a good defense and offense, but it was like Yugi could predict every move Joey would make. In all of fifteen minutes, Joey's monsters were destroyed, and his life points were depleted.

"Aww, seven times in only two hours. How do you do it Yugi?"

"Joey, it's pretty simple. I'm the one that taught you Duel Monsters, remember?" Yugi answered as he collected his deck and put it away. Joey started to do the same but was interrupted when Shizuku said, "Aren't you going to, I don't know, 'teach me a thing or two'?"

"Oh yeah. But be warned, I did come in second at Duelist Kingdom," Joey smiled.

"And first for the biggest head," Tèa murmured.

"What was dat!"

"Nothing."

"Well, Duel Monsters is easy enough to learn . . ." Joey started.

"Joey, I already have a deck. I know how to play. You are not a teacher. You are my opponent. Just. Shut. Up. And. Duel."

"I play Swordsman of Landstar in defense mode, and two cards face down," Joey smiled as he laid down the cards.

"I place a monster face down in defense mode, and two cards face down."

"Hey Yuge, I might win my first duel of da day! Activate face down card! Skull Dice!"

Shizuku smiled. "Reveal Mystical Typhoon. Your Skull Dice is gone."

Joey stared in disbelief. Shizuku had led him to believe she was a novice. Maybe she wouldn't be as easy to beat as he thought.

"Go Soul Exchange. Sacrifice my Mystical Elf and Joey's Swordsman of Landstar to bring forth the Wingweaver," Shizuku beamed even wider.

"Go Gearfreid the Iron Knight! Now use Graceful Dice," Joey said as he rolled the die. It landed on one. "Damn," he whispered under his breath.

"Maybe you were a little too cocky there Joey," Yugi smiled as he watched in wonder at Shizuku's dueling skills. She was incredibly resourceful, and seemed to have a counter for every move Joey made.

"Wingweaver, destroy Gearfreid the Iron Knight." Joey winced, his life points were down to 3050.

"Baby Dragon, defense mode," Joey said weakly. His only hope would be to draw his Time Wizard and turn his Baby Dragon into the Thousand Dragon.

"I place one magic card face down and end my turn. Take your best shot Joey, maybe there's a possibility you'll still win."

Joey grinned widely as he drew his next card. The Time Wizard. It had helped him out before, and would do so again. "I place one card face down. Your turn, princess."

Shizuku's face twisted in anger. "I was going to go easy on you Joey, but after seeing your delight in your last draw, I'm to going to give you a little surprise. Activate Card Destruction. Now we both have to draw new hands."

Yugi stared in surprise as Joey grumblingly threw his hand into the card graveyard. He watched as he drew five new cards.

"Now Wingweaver, attack and destroy Baby Dragon!" Shizuku smiled. Joey was easier to beat than she thought. His overconfidence was his disadvantage.

"Fine then. I'll activate Monster Reborn and put Gearfried back in play," Joey said as he activated his magic card. Gearfried was returned to the field and fumblingly placed in attack mode.

"I play Lord of D., activate Flute of Summoning Dragon," Shizuku smiled. One of her favorite cards was about to come to the field. "I summon, Serpent Night Dragon! Go Serpent Night Dragon, attack his Gearfried."

Joey grimaced as his Iron Knight was sent to the graveyard for the second time. His life points were down to 2500, and Shizuku had yet to take a hit. 'I gotta get my head in the game here,' he thought to himself.

"Let's go Flame Swordsman, in defense mode," Joey said as he placed his favorite card on the field. 'That way she can't attack my life points directly,' he thought to himself.

"Serpent Night Dragon, attack his Flame Swordsman! And now that you have no one to defend your life points, Wingweaver can wipe you out," Shizuku smiled as she watched Joey and his ego deflate in less than the amount of time it took to inflate.

"Wow," Tèa said in astonishment. "Shizuku wiped Joey out without even taking a scratch."

"That's really impressive. Where did you learn to duel?" Yugi smiled at Shizuku.

"Taught myself. Wasn't really that hard. All you have to do is know what card you need and will it to come in your hand."

'That's like the Heart of the Cards,' Yugi said to himself.

'I am certain now. I know this girl from somewhere,' Yami spoke quietly, musing to himself.


	3. Collecting Memories

_**Scales of Destiny**_

**Summary: **The Millennium Scales have been passed from Shadi to another worthy of holding them. But as soon as she receives the mysterious scales, she starts having bizarre dreams about things that happened thousands of years ago. Each dream ends with the same soothing voice and calming face. Can she meet this mysterious stranger in Domino City?

**Chapter Summary: **Yugi decides that it's time Yami learned the truth of his past, and what they learn at the museum startles them both.

**Authors' Note:** Thank you to all who have reviewed. We're glad that you like this story; we've worked very hard on it. Toxic is best at the duels and a lot of the romance, and I'm good with the humor. Remember, this story is both Romance and Humor, so be prepared to laugh yourself silly. NO FLAMES! This story is slightly AU, and was started _before_ the season premiere of Yu-Gi-Oh! Waking the Dragons. It takes place one week after the season finale.

**Chapter Two**

_**Collecting Memories**_

"I guess it's time we left, there's still plenty of Domino City to see," Tèa said as she and Shizuku got up from the floor.

"It was nice dueling you Joey. But next time, try to stay focused on the duel, not how easy your opponent will be to defeat," Shizuku smirked as she and Tèa left.

"I can't believe she beat me. _She _beat _me_," Joey said quietly to himself.

"You should take her advice, Joey. She's a great duelist," Yugi smiled as Joey started to help him push the desk back to its original position.

"I guess so. Maybe I _was_ a little too overconfident."

"That's the understatement of the century."

"Hey!"

"Sorry Joey, I couldn't resist," Yugi beamed.

"Do you think she'd be able to beat you Yuge?" Joey asked as he plopped down on the bed.

"I'm not quite sure. But she'd definitely give me a run for my title."

"Geez, is that the time? I've got to head back home, my dad'll kill me," Joey said as he looked at the digital clock and bolted out the door. "See ya Yuge," his voice carried from the hallway.

"I'm sure that I know her Yugi. Something about her seems so familiar," Yami said as he closed his eyes in thought. "My past is a blank, but I have a suspicion she was part of it."

"You mean in a past life? Like Kaiba?" Yugi asked.

"Perhaps, though my recognition of her is more pronounced than that of Kaiba."

"So she was someone even more significant than 'Priest Seto'?"

"Apparently so. Yugi, there are many things about my past that I do not know. I truly wish to determine the fact from fiction."

"The tattoo on Marik's back depicted the Egyptian God Cards and the tablet at the museum. Do you think your memory is locked inside the tablet?" Yugi asked Yami as he watched him pace the room.

"I do not know, but it is a possibility. I feel as if I am missing half of myself, but I am not sure that that void will be filled once my memory has returned."

"Why wouldn't it have?"

"I do not know if I had a family Yugi. Relatives, friends, someone to love. It is all a blank, as if they never existed."

"Then the only way to find out is to head to the museum," Yugi smiled as he allowed Yami to control his body.

**:-:**

"So, where else should we go today?" Shizuku asked excitedly as she and Tèa walked the streets of Domino City. They had stopped at various places along the way, including dropping off Shizuku's luggage at Tèa's house. "What is that? 'Kaiba Corporations' . ."

"That's Seto Kaiba's company. You'll probably meet him on Monday, when school starts," Tèa said with disgust. No matter how much Kaiba had helped Yugi defeat Marik, he was still a jerk.

"What, is he some kind of creep or something?"

"He's a 'friend', I guess. He hosted the Battle City Tournament."

"How many times—" Shizuku started, but she was interrupted as the rumblings of a motorcycle made their way towards them. The motorcycle rider glanced their way, and seemed to continue once he saw Tèa, but stopped once his eyes made their way to Shizuku.

"Hey Tèa, who's your friend?" he asked as he removed his helmet.

"I'm Shizuku Atoma."

"Tristan Taylor. Where're you two headed?" Tristan asked as he dismounted the motorcycle.  
"Just around. What're you doing?" Tèa asked as she crossed her arms. "And why were you so content to keep going when you saw me, but so eager to stop when you saw Shizuku?"

Tristan blushed, but quickly covered. "I wanted to meet your new friend."

"I'm sure. We're headed to the mall if you want to join us. Shizuku wanted to buy her parents some souvenirs and send them overseas," Tèa said as she and Shizuku started walking again.

"I'll see you guys later. Nice meeting you Shizuku!" Tristan said before placing his helmet back on his head.

"Likewise," Shizuku yelled before he zoomed off. "Is he one of your friends?"

"Yeah, he's so much like Joey you'd swear they were brothers."

They continued on towards the mall, when Shizuku stopped midstep. She stared off into the distance, as Tèa gracefully bumped into her.

"Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going. Why did you--" Tèa started before she was interrupted by Shizuku.

"Isn't that Yugi?" Shizuku asked as she pointed to a figure heading up the steps of the museum.

"It is, I wonder what he's doing," Tèa whispered as she continued walking. If he wanted company, Yugi would have asked.

"It's the last day of some Egypt exhibit. Do you think we can go there after the mall?" Shizuku smiled. But Tèa knew that it wasn't _Yugi_ that was walking to the museum, but _Yami_.

"The mall's over this way, and if the museum's still open when we're done, we can go there," Tèa smiled as she led Shizuku down the street to where the mall was located.

**:-:**

Yami stood in front of the main doors of the museum, hesitant to go inside.

'What are you afraid of?' Yugi asked the spirit quietly.

"Everything," Yami answered before stepping inside. The museum wasn't at all busy, like one normally would be on the last day of an exhibit. Not paying attention to the curious looks at his Millennium Puzzle, Yami walked down to the basement, where the stone tablets were and where he knew Ishizu to be.

"My Pharaoh, even without the great powers of my Millennium Necklace, I knew that you would come today. You seek the answers to your ancient past?"

"Yes, Ishizu. But before that, I would like to know more about this carving," Yami answered as he pointed to a carving nestled in the corner. It depicted the Egyptian Pharaoh, (himself) sitting atop his throne, and his needs being catered to by servants. There was another throne beside him, but there the tablet was ruined, and the person sitting on the Pharaoh's left hand side was undetermined. "Who was sitting here?"

"Your wife. No one knows of her identity, for she was considered a traitor when her father betrayed you and made an alliance with your enemies. She was murdered before she gave birth to the heir to your throne," Ishizu said calmly as Yami looked at her in amazement. He had had a family. A wife, an heir-to-be, but all of it was taken away, and he couldn't even remember it.

"Is it known who murdered her?" Yami asked as he eyed the tablet with longing. If only he could see her face, perhaps it would trigger a memory? He didn't care if did or not, he wanted to know who it was that he was so deeply in love with five thousand years ago.

"The Pharaoh's greatest friend became his greatest enemy when he murdered your wife. It is said that it upset you so greatly, that after defeating the High Priest, you locked yourself within the confines of your Puzzle, awaiting the day that your love would be reincarnated, and Destiny would bring you together again."

"Has she been reincarnated?" Yami asked hopefully.

"I do not know. But when she is, Destiny will draw the two of you together, and unlock her memories as well."


	4. A Shrouded Face

_**Scales of Destiny**_

**Authors' Note: **Thank you to all who have reviewed. We're glad that you like this story; we've worked very hard on it. We hope that more people will review as time goes on. Toxic has also drawn some AWESOME pictures to go with the story. Find them at Please comment on them in your reviews. Please and thank you!

**Story Summary: **The Millennium Scales have been passed from Shadi to another worthy of holding them. But as soon as she receives the mysterious Scales, she starts having bizarre dreams about things that happened thousands of years ago. Each dream ends with the same soothing voice and calming face. Can she meet this mysterious stranger in Domino City?

**Chapter Summary: **Yami begins discovering his ancient past. In the meantime, Shizuku visits a mysterious antique shop, and while browsing through the items, a mysterious face appears in one of them.

**Chapter Three**

_**A Shrouded Face**_

Yami sighed inwardly. If he chose to reveal the secrets of his past, it would change Yugi's Destiny as well. Since he was just a Wandering Spirit, confined to whoever owned the Millennium Puzzle, he would not be able to be with his love if she was reincarnated.

'What are you waiting for?' Yugi asked impatiently.

"You do know that this will affect you as well," Yami answered as he returned to his thinking once more.

'I don't care. This will be just a whole other adventure for us.'

"Right," Yami smiled as he slowly held the three Egyptian God Cards in front of the tablet of him and past Kaiba. He could feel a force creeping through his body that felt much like static electricity. The window that held the tablet shattered, sending shards of glass towards him. Yami could feel the glass pieces fall next to him, but none ever touched his pale skin. The static-like-energy made its way to his head, and all though he couldn't see it, a brilliant Eye of Ra was glowing on his forehead. Yami felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, and when he could hold back no longer, he fell into the blackness.

**:-:**

_As consciousness slowly faded back into his groggy head, Yami looked at his surroundings, finding them much different than the museum._

_He was in Egypt. The pyramids in the background gave away the location immediately, and by the fact that some of them were only part-way built, he guessed he was in his time, 5,000 years ago._

_He heard a grunt and turned around sharply. A cloaked figure was walking towards him. Yami didn't even bother to address the figure, for he knew he was merely a ghost in one of his own memories._

_The cloaked figure stumbled, his foot tearing the hood down and revealing his face. A younger Yami looked back through him before hurriedly covering his face. By the only slight amount of jewelry, Yami realized he had been sent to the time before the Shadow Games, when he was a young Prince of fifteen, right before he became Pharaoh._

_He followed his younger self, trying to remember what would happen before he saw it in front of him, but his mind was a blank. A big, brawly man towered over the Prince as he spoke in a low voice that was lathered in stupidity._

"_The Pharaoh charges for wanderers to enter this village."_

"_Is that so? I have not heard of that law," the Prince said as he smirked underneath his hood._

"_You doubt the directions given to me by the Pharaoh himself? I shall make you see the truth!"_

"_Oh no, the big bad slave driver's going to teach me a lesson," Prince Yami retorted in a voice dripping with sarcasm. The smirk was wiped from his face as the man pulled out a dagger and traced a line on the Prince's arm with it._

"_That was just a taste. You should see what we do with slaves that have tongues. You don't know? We cut them out," the man sneered as he moved closer to the Prince, contaminating the air between them with his nauseating breath._

"_No, please," came a sweet and distressed voice from behind both men. Both Yamis and the slave driver turned toward the source to find a petit girl with long ebony hair and bottle green eyes. "I will pay you all of my wages if you do not harm him," she said as she threw a bag of coins in their direction. The man released the Prince and ran off with the coins jingling in his pocket._

"_I'm sorry, I will find a way to pay you back," Past Yami said as he tried to stop his wound from bleeding._

"_There is no need. Come, I will clean your wound," she said in her light, feathery voice as she gently guided the Prince toward a small hut. "There is no need to hide your face; you may remove your cloak."_

"_I'd prefer it on," Yami answered equally as politely as he tightened his grip on his cloak around him. The woman gently pulled up the sleeve of his cloak and pressed a cloth to it._

"_You have much jewelry, and such a beautiful painting," she said as she noticed the intricately painted tattoo on the Prince's shoulder. "My name is Zuka Tomuu. Do you wish to tell me yours?"_

"_Many call me Yami," the Prince answered as he winced from the salve Zuka had placed on his cut._

"_Have you not heard? The Pharaoh is ailing, and has given the throne to his son Atem once he passes to the next world."_

"_Oh?" Yami asked, though he already knew._

"_I have never seen Atem, but I am told he is very handsome, and has a large knowledge for magic. It must come from reading hundreds of scrolls. How I wish I could read."_

_Past Yami stared at her, speechless, as she continued healing his wound._

"_Stranger Yami, what are you doing in this small village? Surely a young man such as yourself seeks adventure else where."_

"_I do. But my Destiny has been laid before me in stone, and though I may not like it, I have learned to except it and put forth all effort possible," the Prince said as he winced once more._

"_You speak such beautiful words and put a smile on my face. Tell me, where are you from Stranger Yami?"_

"_Not far."_

"_Your wound will heal itself sooner if you apply this salve that every night. Please allow me to accompany you to your home," Zuka asked as she mixed more salve._

"_I'm alright. You do not need to come with me."_

"_Please, Yami, how else will I ever be assured I will see you again?" Zuka asked sweetly as she pulled gently on Yami's cloak. The simple tug pulled his hood down, revealing his face and the crown on his forehead. She squealed quietly before falling to her knees and bowing before him. "My Prince, forgive me."_

"_You need not knell. We are equals," Prince Atem smiled as he guided her into a standing position. Her eyes stayed focused on the ground._

"_Prince Atem, had I known it was you I would have held my tongue."_

"_You do not need to ask for forgiveness. You have committed no wrongs."_

"_It is against the Pharaoh's Law to treat a Royal as a commoner."_

"_You have not treated me as a commoner, but as a person. You are . . . different," Atem smiled again._

"_Pardon me, my Prince, but would that difference be good, or bad?" Zuka asked as she moved her eyes to his face._

"_It is perfect," Atem whispered as his lips briefly brushed her cheek._

**:-:**

Yami sat bolt upright. It was over. The vision that told him of his true love, a woman that had been named Zuka Tomuu, was gone.

"You have your memories back, Pharaoh, and soon Destiny will lead you and your beloved together," Ishizu said as she helped Yami to his feet.

**:-:**

"Wow, this mall is awesome!" Shizuku smiled as she stared in awe at some of the shop windows.

"I know, there's a lot of neat stuff here," Tèa agreed.

"The first thing on my list is a Duel Disk," Shizuku said as she walked into a small game shop.

"Should we really be shopping here? What about Mr. Motou?"

"I got a good look at his shop while we were there. Good place to buy Duel Monsters cards, but no Duel Disks," Shizuku clarified as she walked up to the cashier. "I'd like a Duel Disk, please."

"Sorry, all out. Those things have been flying off the shelf since Battle City. Tough luck, princess," said the man behind the counter as he fiddled with a GameBoy.

"Come on there's gotta be at least one left! Kaiba Corp's been shipping out those things thousands at a time!" Tèa argued.

"Sorry, can't help you."

Shizuku's face turned red from pent up anger, and Tèa could hear her counting to ten under her breath.

"There's a Duel Disk in the display window. I'll pay extra for it."

"Can't. Display use only."

"She's going to pay you extra! Just take the deal and wait for another shipment so you can put one in the display window," Tèa said angrily.

"Whatever. I'm on my break right now, so you'll have to wait," the cashier said as both Tèa and Shizuku demonstrated classic anime falls.

**:-:**

'So, what're you thinking about?' Yugi asked the ancient Pharaoh, though he already knew.

"Zuka was so familiar, as if I'd seen her before. But where?" Yami answered.

'Her eyes reminded me of Shizuku's, but then again, there's lots of girls with green eyes, and we don't even know if Zuka's been reincarnated.'

"Thank you for those inspiring words, Yugi," Yami said dryly as he retreated into his Puzzle to explore his new memories.

"Tèa said that she and Shizuku were on their way to the mall, maybe they're still there," Yugi said to himself as he walked towards the mall.

**:-:**

"I'm glad that he finally decided to hand over the Disk," Shizuku smiled as she attached her new possession snugly on her arm.

"Now what?" Tèa asked as she fell in step with Shizuku.

"My parents are nuts over antiques, and there's an antique shop over there."

"Do they own their own shop?" Tèa asked as they headed for the antique store.

"Nah, they're just obsessed over the stuff."

The antique store was small, but filled to bursting with some of the oddest things either girl had ever seen.

"This is an odd antique shop," Shizuku whispered as she browsed past a table and chair set with curved and clawed feet.

"It is not an antique shop; it is 'Kiro's Amazing Oddities'. I am Kiro," said a short, plump man with a heavy Indian accent as he walked up behind Shizuku.

"These sure are some odd little, well, oddities," Shizuku remarked as she looked at a music box that played the funeral march.

"Dees tings come from all over de world. Over here is Egypt, and over dere is Endia, and over dere . . . ." Kiro droned.

"Ooh, let's look at the Egyptian stuff. I'm half Egyptian on my dad's side," Shizuku said happily as she walked near the Egyptian oddities.

**:-:**

Yugi felt completely and totally lost within the mall. He had no idea where Shizuku or Tèa would be.

"A little help would be greatly appreciated," he muttered to the Pharaoh.

'How am I supposed to know where they are?' Yami answered as he opened another door within the Puzzle.

**:-:**

"This is kind of interesting," Tèa said as she lifted up a porcelain vase with the lid of an Egyptian God.

"Ooh! I know what that is!" Shizuku said excitedly as she walked toward Tèa. "During mummification, embalmers would remove the organs and put them in one of those jars."

"Okay . . . eew."

"What's this?" Shizuku wondered as she approached a dusty cloth that obviously had something hidden underneath. When she removed the cloth, she was met with a pair of dusty old scales, in desperate need of a polishing. He used a sleeve of the jacket she was wearing to polish the front of it. As Shizuku examined it in the light, she could have sworn she saw a face reflected behind hers, but when she turned, no one was there.

'Creepy,' she thought as she carried them to the counter.

"Tsk. Tsk. A poor choice. Dere are many other, more amazing oddities to choose from," Kiro frowned.

"I want this one," Shizuku said confidently as she handed him the correct amount of currency.

"Did you buy something?" Tèa asked as she came up behind Shizuku.

"Yeah, just something creepy."

"Hey, I think that's Yugi. Maybe you can duel him. The way you thrashed Joey, you might be able to give Yugi a run for his money," Tèa said as she pointed out a relieved Yugi. He walked towards them.

"Hi guys. What're you doing in a place like this?" he asked as he looked around the bizarre collection surrounding him.

"There's some Egyptian stuff that I wanted to look at. Nothing much," Shizuku said nonchalantly. She leaned down and whispered in Yugi's ear, "Confidentially, I think that Kiro over there, is a little on the _off_ side." Yugi smiled at Shizuku's joke, and he could feel the Pharaoh's laugher radiating off the Puzzle.


	5. Bow Down to the Queen

_**Scales of Destiny**_

**Authors' Note: **Voices here to thank all of you who have reviewed. We're glad that you like this story; we've worked very hard on it. We hope that more people will review as time goes on. Please and thank you!

P.S. If you like this chapter, thank Toxic, she graciously wrote all of this while I have major writers block.

**Story Summary: **The Millennium Scales have been passed from Shadi to another worthy of holding them. But as soon as she receives the mysterious Scales, she starts having bizarre dreams about things that happened thousands of years ago. Each dream ends with the same soothing voice and calming face. Can she meet this mysterious stranger in Domino City?

**Chapter Summary: **After the strange incident in the antique shop Shizuku and Tèa meet up with Yami at the mall. That night, at Tèa's house something strange happens.

**Chapter Four**

_**Bow Down to the Queen**_

"So what did you get at the antique shop Shizuku?" Yugi asked curiously.

"Oh nothing really," she said meekly.

"Well can I see it?" Yugi asked again.

"No," she said dryly "It's nothing, just a piece of metal, nothing worth seeing."

It was suddenly silent as the trio walked through the mall. Tèa tried to say something, but the words just wouldn't come out. Yugi patiently waited for the silence to be broken by Tèa, but she never said anything.

They reached the entrance to the mall, and Yugi hastily said goodbye and walked away sullenly. After Tèa watched Yugi disappear into the distance, she resumed the unusual perky attitude that annoyed Shizuku so much.

"Where should we go next?" Tèa smiled.

"How about we go to the museum now?" Shizuku insisted.

"Yeah I guess we could, it should be open still. Let's go!" Tèa started walking. Shizuku stared at where Yugi had once stood, turned, and started off after Tèa.

**:-:**

Shizuku stared up at the massive steps going to the museum. It was hard for her to believe that all of these marble steps led to one building.

'It's worth it!' she thought to herself. More than anything she wanted to see the Egyptian exhibit here. She just had to.

They started up the steps and continued to the top until they reached the museum. They started in the door and were met by a comforting voice. Tèa twirled around and found that the voice emanated from Ishizu.

"Hello Tèa, and hello, Shizuku, is it? My name is Ishizu, if Tèa has not already told you," Ishizu said in her usual misty voice.

"Um . . . yeah, it is Shizuku. Nice to meet you Ishizu," she answered, confused. How had Ishizu learned her name? "Would you be able to show us to the Egyptian exhibit?"

"Of course my dear, just follow me, this way," Ishizu said with a wave of her hand.

Ishizu showed them to the Egyptian artifacts and gave them a brief summary of which each was. Tèa could tell that Shizuku was completely engrossed; she was soaking all of this information up like a sponge.

"…and this was the sarcophagus of the great Pharaoh Atem, he saved the world from destruction nearly 5,000 years ago. Even after all of the suffering he went through; such as losing his wife, unborn child, and being betrayed by his best friend, he fought his way through the darkness, and brought the world peace again," Ishizu paused briefly and stared at the sarcophagus for a few seconds before starting up again. "Now, would you like to see some secret things Shizuku? I'll gladly show them to you since you are one of, Yugi's, friends." She hesitated on Yugi's name, like she was trying to speak a foreign language, or the just the word itself was strange to her.

"Sure! That would be wonderful!" Shizuku squealed.

Ishizu had them follow her down a set of narrow steps. Even at the top of the staircase, you could tell there was something important down there. It smelled of must and chemicals, and it was very hot. Shizuku was sweating under her layered tank tops and jeans.

"Shizuku," Ishizu said questionably, "do you remember the great king I told you about just a second ago?"

"Sure . . ."

"Well these tablets are all depictions of him," she smiled at the shock on Shizuku's face. "Well, I said he was very important didn't I? Anyway, these tablets are supposed to contain his memory for when this Pharaoh is born again to save the world." Shizuku was staring at her, "Now along with him being resurrected, his wife, Queen Zuka, is supposed to be born again as well. This tablet is supposed to hold _only_ her memory. The stone over here is worn away, but we know that Atem's wife, Zuka, would have been depicted here."

"The museum will be closing in five minutes, I repeat, five minutes," came a sharp voice over the speakers. The voice repeated his message multiple times in various languages.

"I guess we should go Shizuku," Tèa said as she started up the steps.

Shizuku purposely dropped her bag and flinched when she heard the metallic twang as it hit the ground. She didn't want to leave, not just yet. She had to see about something on the tablet.

When both Tèa and Ishizu were out of sight, Shizuku slipped the strange antique out of its sack and examined it.

"Just what I thought," Shizuku said as she gently fingered the eye emblazoned in the middle. "The tablet has the eye too."

"Shizuku hurry up!" Tèa shouted from the stair case.

"I'm coming," Shizuku replied. "Now let's get a closer view," she whispered as she gently raised the antique to the tablet.

The antique glowed and hummed under her touch. Finally, it had found its owner. In a bright flash of light she was on the ground. In the flashes, she remembered seeing a kind, handsome, and intense but gentle looking face. It seemed familiar, yet strangely distant. She looked at the antique again; a name flashed into her head. The Millennium Scales. How she knew what they were, she wasn't sure.

Shizuku shook the idea from her mind, picked herself up, and headed up the staircase into the gaze of a scowling Tèa. Tèa's scowl slowly faded into a smile as they walked out the door. Tèa was excited for Shizuku's first day at school with her.

**:-:**

"So are you glad that you're not going to be the only girl in a group of oblivious boys anymore?" Shizuku smiled at Tèa once they got home.

"Words cannot describe my joy. I'll have Joey and Tristan off my back," Tèa said while lying down on her bed.

"And why is that?" Shizuku questioned.

"Joey will be too busy scowling at you and bugging you about a rematch. Then Tristan, well, he'll be too busy drooling over you and flirting with you," Tèa winked at Shizuku.

Tèa didn't really want to talk about Yugi; Shizuku could see it in her eyes, so she kept silent. Tèa didn't really know why, she just didn't want to talk about what she had learned at the museum. She lost her chance at Yami, Destiny was going to bring someone to him, and she knew it wasn't her. She let the topic drift from her mind and headed off to bed.

Shizuku sat in her bed and stared at the Scales, she wanted to see the face again. When she couldn't stay awake any longer, she set the Scales atop her bookshelf head board and drifted into her dreams. The Scales hummed as she slept, flashing at various times during the night.

**:-:**

It was midnight, and Yugi couldn't get to sleep. Yami was sitting weightlessly upon his desk waiting for Yugi to stop staring and say something.

"Yugi, you're exhausted by the information we have learned today, but yet you still cannot sleep. Why are you so restless?" Yami questioned.

Yugi slipped off the Puzzle and silently said, "It's just . . . that woman, Zuka, she reminded me a lot of Shizuku."

"Why don't you go to sleep, you can ask Shizuku about the Scales tomorrow. If she has them, then we know if it is indeed Zuka, but until then, please, get some rest," Yami said as he faded into the Puzzle.

"'Night Yami." Yugi said as he, too, slipped into his sub consciousness.

**:-:**

Yami woke up with a start. He had no idea how he got out of the Puzzle, but he had another vision of his past. His memories were flooding in now, faster than ever. He saw bits and segments of other memories, but only one had played out to him in his mind.

The vision was about Zuka again. Yami really didn't mind though. They had met in secrecy and talked the whole time. He had learned so much about her that day. Yami could wait for his bride to come to him, oh how badly he wanted to see her, relive memories with her.

When Yugi came out of the Puzzle and scowled at him, Yami, unwillingly, gave up and exchanged places. Yugi got ready for school and started off, preparing what he would say to Shizuku when he got alone time with her.

**:-:**

Shizuku awakened to the worried face of Tèa, who was huddled over Shizuku, hands on her arms.

"You were sleeping really fitfully. It's time to go to school. Here's your uniform. Now don't look at me that way, get it on!" Tèa insisted.

Shizuku looked in disgust at the uniform after she left. It was a pink jacket with a blue pleated mini-skirt, knee-high socks, brown loafers and a hideous big blue bow on the jacket. It was horrible.

Shizuku reluctantly put it on, shifting it uncomfortably while she walked.

"Have I mentioned how much I hate this uniform?" Shizuku questioned as she walked into the kitchen.

"Come on, if we don't hurry up we can't meet up with Yugi," Tèa said, pulling Shizuku out the door.

"No! I'm not leaving the house with this on!" Shizuku shrieked, pulling away from Tèa and positioning herself in the door way so she could _not_ be moved. Yugi was walking down Tèa's street, and decided to check out what was going on at Tèa's house.

"Hey guys," Yugi smiled before he realized what was going on.

"Hey Yugi," Shizuku smiled back as she stopped trying to stay as far away from the door as humanly possible. The trio began their walk to school while Yugi was still trying to piece together what he had missed.

Shizuku silently stomped along behind the ever persistent Tèa, and Yugi took this as the perfect moment to talk to her.

"Hi Shizuku," Yugi began

"Hey Yugi, what's up?" She wondered.

"Have you ever heard of the Millennium Scales?" He hoped that she would know what they were.

She froze, her heart stopped. _How did he know about them? Does he know that I have them?_ She thought.

"The Millennium Scales? Uhh…" she was cut off in mid sentence, a strange voice in her head said to tell him that she had them, another said to keep it quiet, "Yeah, I've heard of them, they're one of seven magical Egyptian artifacts."

As soon as Yugi's heart had done a back flip, it had landed on concrete in one second.

'Let me talk to her Yugi. She might tell me,' Yami persisted.

'Well, I guess so. But not too long, got it?'Yugi warned him. They switched bodies and Yami continued on, "Have you ever seen them or anything like that?" he soothed with his deep harmonic voice.

She blinked in disbelief, Yugi looked different, he looked older, and he looked like, the Pharaoh Atem! His voice was the one in her dreams too.

Something strange overwhelmed her, and she felt like something else was controlling her thoughts, emotions, and actions. "Atem?" she whispered. "Is it . . . can it . . . can it really be you?" Shizuku didn't know what was coming over her; feelings were flooding in like an overflowing river. She lunged at him and embraced him. "I never thought I would see you, I thought I lost you." She nuzzled the nook between his shoulder and neck and let go.

"Is there something wrong, Shizuku?" Yami asked nervously, he didn't know how she could tell them apart. It took more than two years for Tèa and Joey to figure it out. She had only known them for a few days and she could tell. _What if she is Zuka?_ He wondered. Yami had already blocked Yugi off from his vision and thoughts. He would be in trouble but it was necessary.

Yami took her hand and jogged closer to Tèa, and then he whispered softly, "Till our next meeting, my queen," he teased, kissing her hand.

In a flash of lights Yugi returned and Shizuku involuntarily pulled her hand away and continued walking. Yugi blinked as he tried to recall the past five minutes of conversation, it was all a blank.

'I'll get back at you for this,'Yugi sent to the Pharaoh.

'It was well worth it,' he mused.

Yugi was fuming and tromped off towards Tèa.

**:-:**

Shizuku chewed on the eraser of her pencil. She was hardly concentrating on what her first period English teacher was droning about. All she could think about was the force that had propelled her to feel that way about Yugi, no, not Yugi, _Atem_. How had Yugi turned to Atem? Why was she asking herself these questions, why did she care?

"Atoma, Miss Atoma, please introduce yourself to the class," Mrs. Hikata said as she narrowed her eyes behind her horn-rimmed glasses. Followed by Mrs. Hikata's stare, Shizuku walked up to the front of the classroom.

"I'm Shizuku Atoma, I'm from New York . . . and that's about it."

"Try telling them one of your interests," Mrs. Hikata snapped.

Shizuku blinked twice from Mrs. Hikata's harsh tone, but quickly recovered. "I like to play Duel Monsters..." Shizuku was interrupted by a low sneer from the back of the room. Mrs. Hikata quickly seated Shizuku and scowled at a tall boy in the back of the room with a smirk across his face.

**:-:**

Shizuku slowly lifted herself from her desk after class finished. Tèa had said a quick "Meet me outside." Before she left and Shizuku was gathering her massive pile of books.

She stood up from her gathering position as a deep voice sounded from behind her back. She turned around and saw the boy who had smirked at her. "So you like duel monsters huh?" He asked, "I guess you can like something, but not be good at it. So, Shizuku, are you any good? Have you beaten any good players here yet?" He sneered at her like it was the only thing he could do.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I have. I beat Joey Wheeler just yesterday…" she was cut off by his laughter.

"You beat that hack Wheeler! I would brag about that to much, but I guess if your better than him, your okay. I'll ask you about the duel later, right now I have to go." He said looking at his pager.

He left the room in a hurry and Shizuku soon followed. She was just about to walk out the door when Tristan jumped in front of her. She was so scared that she dropped all of her books on the ground.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you like that." He started to bend down and pick up her books. He stood back up and said, "Here, let me carry your books for you Shizuku. Sorry about before, I just saw you and I thought I would say hi. So, hi!"

"Hi." She said as they got to the door. Shizuku mouthed 'Help me' to Tèa when Tristan wasn't looking at her, which was a hard moment to come by.

"Come on Shizuku, we need to get home. Bye Tristan!" Tèa rushed.

They started walking home but Shizuku couldn't stop thinking about Atem. She couldn't even connect that she could be Zuka. She had forgotten all about her.

"Shizuku, are you listening to me?" Tèa continued once she had Shizuku's attention "I thought you might like to know that I have to stay after tomorrow. So, you will have to go home without me. I am sure that Tristan would give you a ride on his motorcycle though." Tèa wanted to laugh so hard that she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Yeah, of course." Shizuku said with a monotone. This was her chance, tomorrow she would bring the Scales, and after school she would talk to Atem and show him.


	6. Eyes

**_Scales of Destiny _**

**Authors' Note:** _**If I'm not up to at least10 reviews I will not update! This is ridiculous people!**_

Everybody, give Toxic a big round of applause! Miraculously, I recovered from my writer's block to write two sentences of the last chapter…but I will redeem myself by writing **most** of this chapter!

**Story Summary: **The Millennium Scales have been passed from Shadi to another worthy of holding them. But as soon as she receives the mysterious Scales, she starts having bizarre dreams about things that happened thousands of years ago. Each dream ends with the same soothing voice and calming face. Can she meet this mysterious stranger in Domino City?

**Chapter Summary: **Tristan learns how miserable he is at the art of asking a girl on a date, an old friend returns to Domino City, and Atem finally lays his eyes on the Scales.

**Chapter Five **

**_Eyes _**

Shizuku tossed and turned in her sleep, the odd dreams of an ancient Egyptian past flickering through her mind like a projector. The face was there again, but now she recognized it as the Pharaoh Atem, the other spirit that inhabited Yugi Motou's body.

The young girl awoke suddenly by the shrill tone of her alarm. "Six-thirty already?" she groaned as she made her way to the bathroom to wash her face. Large purplish bags sat underneath her eyes. A quick application of the only makeup she used, cover-up, and the dark violet bags were no longer visible. As she brushed through her long dark hair, the teen thought about the previous morning, when the tidal wave of emotion flooded her senses, and how she had reacted to Atem when he took control of Yugi's body. Then there was that voice that had advised her to tell Yugi that she possessed the Millennium Scales. The voice that wanted her to deny it was her own, she knew that. But where had the other voice come from? She dismissed her thoughts for later as she pulled her black locks out of her face and secured them with a black elastic.

Shizuku grudgingly put on her school uniform, detesting it even more since she had to put it on a second time. She turned to her head board and her emerald eyes met with the curious Egyptian eye of the Millennium Scales. She shrugged off the feeling of recognition that came every time she looked at the Scales, and with careful hands, Shizuku placed them into her backpack.

After brushing her teeth and eating a breakfast that consisted of a banana and a slice of semi-burnt toast, Shizuku waited impatiently for Tèa to be ready as well. The brunette girl bounded down the stairs, obviously a morning person.

"Sorry I took so long," Tèa replied as she slung her backpack over her shoulders as Shizuku carefully did the same with her own backpack.

The American teen yawned loudly in response. She opened the door to find Yugi making his way towards them. The three of them walked almost silently to school, aside from when Shizuku could have sworn she saw Atem glancing at her instead of Yugi, when she gasped loudly.

"What's wrong?" Tèa asked as she turned towards Shizuku.

"I…saw a…spider. Those things freak me out," she covered quickly as she quickened her pace towards the school.

"Is something wrong with Shizuku?" Yugi asked, obviously confused. Tèa shrugged silently, a clueless look in her eyes as well.

**:-: **

_23…12…36_, Shizuku thought as she turned the combination lock on her locker. She was careful when removing her extra books, making sure no one saw the unusual artifact in her backpack.

"So…Shizuku," Tristan said casually as Shizuku closed her locker door.

"AAAHH!" Shizuku screamed in surprise as her hand clamped over her rapidly beating heart. "Don't do that!" she gasped.

"Sorry," the brown haired male said sheepishly. "Would you mind if I asked you something?"

The American girl raised an eyebrow. "Depends. What is it?"

"Well," Tristan smiled, "if you're not doing anything Saturday night, maybe you and I could…hang out."

Shizuku seemed to ponder this for a moment, before abruptly saying, "Tristan...one, I just moved here. I've only been here for four days; I'd like to explore the town a little more. And two, not to offend you or anything, but I'm not all that interested in you."

"Maybe next week?" Tristan called to her as she headed towards her first hour class.

"Nope," she yelled back.

**:-: **

"Come on. I really like you, please," Tristan begged a few hours later as Shizuku was gathering her things to head to Yugi's.

"Tristan, I take that you've never been rejected before. But, as I've said the past thousand times, I'm not going to go out with a guy I'm not interested in to please him. I don't do pity dates," she said exasperatedly. Tristan started walking towards her, still pleading for a date, and Shizuku was walking backwards, lecturing him, when she bumped into something.

"Watch where you're going," came an icy voice and Shizuku looked behind her to find herself face to face with equally icy blue eyes. Immediately, she felt a rush of hate at Seto Kaiba, and imagined him clothed in Egyptian garb. She wanted to reach out and tear his face off, but that was the kind of thing that'd draw a lot of attention in a crowded high school hallway.

"I'll make sure I don't step on your sacred ground again," she said as she rolled her eyes.

"You're new around here, so I'll give you one warning. Nobody and I mean nobody around here mocks _me_."

"Duly noted," Shizuku growled as she headed towards the exit, Tristan following.

**:-: **

"Joey, you seriously need to talk to Tristan and tell him to lay off of Shizuku. I saw him stalking her in the halls today," Serenity said.

"I'll try, sis, but he won't listen." Joey agreed, shoulders slumped, hands in his pockets.

A purple convertible pulled up slowly behind him. In the car was a tall slender woman in a more than revealing top and mini skirt.

Serenity looked behind her as a huge smile spread across her face "Joey! Joey! Look its Mai! She's back!" Serenity squealed.

Joey raised his hand "Hey Mai," Joey said with a monotone.

They continued walking and Serenity was amazed that Joey didn't jump on Mai. She was all he could talk about for months, ever since she left Domino City.

Joey suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and spun around. "Mai!"

"Yeah it's me you big knuckle head. Were you just going to walk off and ignore me?"

Joey ran up to the car and jumped on the front, sprawling himself on the car, hugging the windshield.

"Are you happy to see me or my car, Wheeler?"

Joey got off the front of the car and Mai got out of the front seat. Joey almost tackled her, and then after regaining their balance Joey threatened to suffocate Mai from squeezing her so hard.

"It's so nice to see you again Mai. I missed you." Joey said.

Serenity held back laughter in the background. Joey missing Mai was a huge understatement.

"I missed you too, but you'll miss me a lot more if you don't let me breathe!" Mai forced out.

Joey loosened his grip "Sorry, but it's just really nice to see you again."

"I felt that." Mai ushered everyone into her car and they drove off to Joey's place. The whole drive Mai ignored Joey staring like a puppy dog at her.

They walked into the living room and sat down. "So what's new around here?" Mai asked.

Serenity crossed her legs and told Mai about how things were going and about Shizuku moving to Domino with Tea.

"Another girl Tristan is fawning over, huh?" Mai said afterwards "At least that's one less for you Serenity. I might have to meet Shizuku, she sounds interesting."

"Yeah, she is." Serenity commented.

Both women turned to Joey who was staring stupidly at Mai, like always.

"Enjoying the show?" Mai said, crossing her arms.

"Oh, heh," Joey rubbed the back of his head, smiling "Sorry 'bout that."

Mai looked at the clock hanging above Serenity "Well, I need to go. Thing to do. See ya around." Mai smiled, waving goodbye.

"Here Mai I'll walk you out," Joey offered. He got up from the couch and opened the door for her, following her out. "I guess I'll be seeing you around, then." Joey offered his hand out to shake.

"Yeah," Mai paused, looking at his hand "Come here, you dolt." She took his hand and pulled him closer before hugging him.

Joey gave Mai a gentle squeeze and pulled back a little before kissing her.

Surprised by Joey's sudden action, Mai melted only being supported by Joey's arm.

"Bye, Mai." Joey was grinning like a fool.

"Bye, Joey." Mai walked back to her car, still in shock.

**:-: **

Shizuku glanced back casually at the ever pursuing Tristan and gave him a weak smile when he looked at her. She crossed her arms under her breasts as she thought of _some_ way to shake him off. It dawned on her.

"I need to go to Yugi's, he promised he'd show me a cool Duel Monsters combo," Shizuku half-lied as she attempted to deter Tristan.

Tristan looked crestfallen, obviously assuming that Shizuku would rather spend time with the King of Games than with him, and that was partly true. "Oh, okay. I'll see you at school tomorrow," he said as he put on a false smile and walked towards his own home.

When Shizuku reached the Game Shop, she gathered her courage before walking up to the door. Was she crazy? Why on earth did she feel compelled to tell Atem she possessed the Scales? While she was deliberating on whether to turn back, her hand reached out and opened the shop door, as if something inside her wished it to do so.

"Hello, Shizuku," Solomon Motou greeted eagerly as he wiped the counter. The American teen noticed that in the glass cabinet underneath the counter was a wooden box with a golden lock.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Motou," Shizuku smiled, her attention turning towards the wooden box. "Would you mind if I asked what was in that box?" she asked as she pointed to the box beneath the glass.

"Yugi's God cards, he's kept them locked up tight since Battle City."

"Yugi made quick business of getting himself up the duelist hierarchy, huh? Beating Kaiba, Weevil, and even Pegasus himself. Have you ever wondered how he always manages to get himself out of a tight spot?" she asked, probing for any knowledge Mr. Motou knew about the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle.

Solomon smiled widely, "The Heart of the Cards. I taught him to believe in his deck, but he seemed to know he needed to do that already."

"Well, I'm just going to go talk to Yugi, maybe he can help me with my Algebra homework. You never know how far behind you are until you go to another school."

Mr. Motou nodded as he continued scrubbing the counter, the smile never leaving his cherubic face.

As Shizuku walked through the hallway, she distinctly heard voices coming from Yugi's room. The door was open a crack, and the exchange student peeked in through. Inside, almost translucent, was Atem, the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. The odd wave of hope and love flashed through her, and Shizuku fought to control the urge to burst into the room. Straightening, Shizuku knocked softly on the door.

"Who is it?" Yugi asked from behind the door.

"It's me, Shizuku. Can I come in?"

Once Yugi gave her the okay to enter, Shizuku found him lying on his bed, his Biology worksheet out and his math book opened. "Just doing my homework," he smiled, attempting to scribble an answer.

"Yes, I find that all the answers to my Biology homework can be found within the realm of Algebra," Shizuku grinned as she pointed out his mistake. He blushed before stuttering, "Yeah, well I just finished my Algebra…"

"I need to talk to you about something, you just have to promise to not freak out," the ebony-haired girl interrupted.

Yugi regarded her suspiciously, before hesitantly nodding.

"The thing is, I actually need to talk to Atem."

"How did you know about him?" the short teen asked as his eyes widened.

"I don't know! I just knew, I guess. Listen, I've been having some weird memories lately. Things that there's no way I could have done. I need to talk to Atem," Shizuku said nervously as she unzipped her bag. "I have to show him something."

Yugi shrugged before he let himself fall into the Puzzle and let the Pharaoh animate his body.

Shizuku noticed the change immediately. Yugi became taller, and his eyes narrowed to those of one who had seen too much darkness in his time.

She was now facing Atem, the Egyptian Pharaoh that had saved the world almost five thousand years ago.

"Tell me what this does and why I have it," Shizuku stuttered as she pulled the Millennium Scales from her dark green camouflage backpack.

Yami had to concentrate incredibly hard to stay upright. He blinked twice, trying to be completely sure of what he was seeing. "Where did you get those?"

"That weird store in the mall. I wanna know what they do and why I, of all people, found them."

"You only receive a Millennium Item if you are deemed worthy. The Millennium Scales once belonged to an ancient queen, who passed judgment on evildoers that no longer belonged in the realm of the living," Yami said as his eyes traveled to the Feather of Ma'at that sat on one end of the Scales. He suddenly caught a vision of a pregnant Zuka, lying dead in a hallway with blood spatter on the Scales. He shook the vision away, trying desperately not to concentrate on it while he talked to Shizuku.

"A queen? Now I have the powers of some mummified royal woman?" Shizuku exclaimed rather rudely.

"Yes, _just_ some mummified royal woman," Yami laughed dryly, though he felt no humor in the situation.

Yami sullenly walked over to the bed and sat down, staring out the window. Memories of him and Zuka wouldn't stop playing in his head, no matter how much he screamed inside for them to. His thoughts finally flashed onto Zuka's still body and he tried to focus his energy on the raven haired girl looking quizzically at him through deep green eyes.

"Did I say something?" she asked at his saddened demeanor.

"Oh, of course not," Yami said sarcastically.

"So…" Shizuku responded, "What was this queen's name anyway?" she wasn't sure why she asked, it was like something deep inside her was forcing her to ask.

"Her name was Zuka Tomuu."

"Z-Zuka! You mean the old owner of the Scales is…was…your wife!" Shizuku almost fell backwards at the news.

"Yes…yes, she was," Yami sighed.

"I know this is a stupid question, but, why are you so disappointed? What did I do?"

"You didn't do anything," he said quickly. "I just thought…I mean, I assumed…" Yami suddenly shrank as Yugi took control again, looking just as confused as Shizuku was.

"Umm, what was that?" Shizuku asked.

"I guess he's shy around you, or at least on the subject you asked about," Yugi laughed, the idea that an ancient Egyptian pharaoh being shy at all amusing him.

"What subject?" she asked, clueless.

"He thought that since you had the Scales, you were Zuka's reincarnation, but since you have no memory of him at all, he's not so sure now. It's a sensitive subject for him," Yugi explained.

"Well, actually, I've been having these dreams lately. About Egypt…and the Pharaoh…" Shizuku muttered, her eyes drifting off to focus on the Scales.


	7. A Little History Lesson

_**Scales of Destiny**_

**Authors' Note:** Toxic here.Well, we're only up to nine reviews, but to keep Nafaria happy I'll update. But seriously, only four different people? And this is my seventh update (including the prolouge). I expect more reviews than this. Especialy since you all we're so good at review with my Once Upon a Dream fic. Hopefully when I release my new SxS fic I'll get the same kind of feedback I did with that one. Well, to make it easier, lets say, 15 reviews and I'll try and update as soon as I get the chapter done. Sound good? Get reviewing, I know there are a lot more people reading this than those who have reviewed. I don't want a whole bunch of people stalking this story I want reviewers, okay? Even if you're flaming me, I want a review to know why you don't like it. Love all you reviewers:

**Nafaria:** Thank you for your persistance  
**blue heartsz:** Thank you for the comment  
**candyshopper:** Thank you for your comment  
**Cloaked Fox:** Even if you called my character a Mary-sue, I appreciate your comment and your honesty.

**Story Summary: **The Millennium Scales have been passed from Shadi to another worthy of holding them. But as soon as she receives the mysterious Scales, she starts having bizarre dreams about things that happened thousands of years ago. Each dream ends with the same soothing voice and calming face. Can she meet this mysterious stranger in Domino City?

**Chapter Summary: **More of these dream visions haunt Shizuku. She has finally seen all of her past memories save her last moments of life. What happens once she sees them? Will she seek revenge?

**Chapter Six**

_**A Little History Lesson**_

Yugi stared, stunned, at the ebony haired girl before him. "You-you have!" he stuttered. Was Shizuku admitting that she could be, that she was, Zuka's reincarnation?

"Yeah. Things, I never did. I mean, I went to Egypt once, but I never did any of these things. I just want to know why I'm having these dreams. And, and what they mean."

"I couldn't help you. But, maybe, if he's willing to talk again, the Pharaoh can help you." Yugi closed his eyes like he was meditating, seemingly mumbling to himself.

He changed form again. The narrower stronger eyes staring, it seemed, into her, into her soul. They weren't as strong as they had been. They were weakened, filled with hope, longing, and sadness.

"Yes, what is it?" he sighed.

"So you weren't listening through Yugi." Shizuku strained a smile. She continued, "Well, I've been having these strange dreams lately. About Egypt, and, well, and you."

He blinked twice, very quickly, his only sign of surprise.

She tried to sound as if she hadn't seen it. "…and then, when I wake up, I can remember each one in detail. Like they were memories, my memories."

Atem looked at her with those large violet eyes again, something was different about them. Was that, amusement in his eyes? He was silently laughing at her. He thought her some mad-woman.

"What? Are you just going to stand there all day looking amused? Say something!"

He looked taken aback, "You're pretty good at reading people. As such with the Scales previous owner. Now, the first thing to ask is, were you watching the same person the whole time, or _were_ you the same person the whole time in these, dreams."

"Yeah, I'm this girl, in every one of them."

Atem's heart did a back flip. "Then there is a good chance that she is one of your past lives and you are just now remembering her memories." He paused, sucking up his courage. "What did she look like?"

"She looked like me. Green eyes, black hair although a little longer, and tanner." After a thought she said "Why, did you know her?"

"Yes, I did."

"Who was she!"

"In your past life, you were Zuka Tomuu, Queen of Upper Egypt, High Priestess to the Pharaoh, and wife to the Pharaoh Atem. My wife."

An indescribable surge of passion and emotion surged through her. As if, at Atem's proclamation of her past life had inherited her every emotion Zuka had ever felt for him, and other people.

Shizuku had dropped to her knees, unable to separate the new feelings from her own. She was confused, was she the same person she had always been? Had Zuka always been a part of her, was it just, now that she knew about it, she could feel Zuka's heart beating in time with her own? What was happening to her?

Tears streamed down her face.

She saw a blurred Atem lean close to her. "What's the matter?" He smiled at her. Atem picked up her tear-stained face in his hand and turned it towards his. "Why are you crying?"

Passion roared through her veins again at the sight of his face so close to hers. Passion telling her to move her face closer, close enough to kiss him; her past love. _But,_ she thought,_ are these my feelings? Or hers?_

"Shizuku, what's the matter?" Atem repeated again.

"I'm…so…confused. I feel things, think things, about people I barely know. Hatred, compassion, love. I don't know who I am, anymore. I can't tell whether I'm the one feeling these things or her."

Atem sat down and took Shizuku in his arms. "You, Shizuku Atoma, and Zuka Tomuu, are the same people. You feel the same things. That's why destiny brought you to Domino. So you could meet the people Zuka kept in her company. Know them like she knew them." He wiped a tear off her face and played with her hair, "Feel about them the way she felt about them…"

He gave her a gentle smile "You just have to realize that your life isn't being controlled by her emotions. Just guided. Your life is taking the course it is meant to. The course it will take throughout the eons. Be happy."

She looked at him through blurred, wet eyes, and smiled. The torrent of emotions subsided, letting her think, letting her feel what she knew was her own feelings.

Atem bent down and kissed Shizuku's forehead. "I never could stand to see Zuka cry. I guess it's the same with you."

Shizuku blushed and realized it wasn't Zuka putting feelings into her heart. She did feel something towards Atem. "I…I should probably go now. Tea doesn't like it if I stay at Yugi's too long after school." Atem helped her up, chuckling at some inward knowledge she knew nothing of. "Well…thank you…goodbye."

She turned towards the door but couldn't move as Atem grabbed her hand. "Don't forget the memories. They are what will guide you towards happiness. Don't forget the knowledge you've gained from them." He grabbed her up in his arms and kissed her passionately. "Most of all, don't forget me."

He shut the door behind her, and watched her from the window as she walked back home, towards Tea's.

**:-:**

After constant prodding, Shizuku excused herself from Tea's room so she could get some sleep. She placed the Scales in their normal spot on the mantelpiece and lay down on the bed.

After a few lingering thoughts about Atem and the happenings that afternoon, Shizuku slipped very peacefully into a dream.

The Scales hummed happily on the mantel.

**:-:**

_Shizuku, Zuka, opened her eyes and peered down at the woolen blanket underneath her. _

_The warmth of love and compassion spilled over her as she looked at her husband Atem. He was taking off his jewels. 'Relieving himself of the weight of royalty' he called it._

_She saw him shake suddenly. A shiver. Maybe he was cold._

"_Oh no, my Pharaoh, you're shivering," She piped up as Atem lay down on the bed. "I couldn't live with myself if I let you go through the night like this."_

"_Zuka I'm fine." He demanded, it almost sounded like a plead._

_She just rolled her eyes. He always thought she shouldn't burden herself with silly things like getting a blanket. That he was always 'fine'._

_Zuka got off the bed, with some difficulty because of her seven month swollen stomach, and walked out the door and into the hall._

_Servants bowed to her and muttered an automatic "Good evening my Queen."_

_She silently said goodbye to them all, and thanked them for being so good to her. She wished she could have told Atem goodbye, to ask for his forgiveness for doing this. She knew he would have understood if she had told him what she had seen, but she also knew he would never agree to it._

_She found where they kept gifts given to them and grabbed the purple blanket she had foreseen. She walked back to the room, hoping her vision wouldn't come true; but they always did, so this one must as well…_

_She heard the amplified cackle of a man, Priest Seth, and she froze. Even with all the notification she could need, his voice still sent chills down her spine._

"_So,_ Queen_ Zuka. Here we are. But, I assume you have already foreseen this, have you not?" A tall lean man stepped from the shadows. _

"_Nothing gets by you. Does it Seth? Yes I foresaw this whole night. Fortunately, for you, I know by now that nobody can cheat death, no matter how many times you come close, it was all meant to be." She said it so smoothly._

"_Any last words, then?" Seth grinned "Although, you don't deserve them. You never deserved those powers of the Scales." He stepped closer, "You never deserved your title." He steeped closer again. He was so close she could feel his breath against her face and she the rage in his eyes. "You never deserved this crown!" Zuka didn't flinch when he grabbed her crown from her head and threw it on the ground. For emphasis he spat on it and rubbed it in with his foot._

_She looked upon him with hatred and said confidently, "My last words: We will see each other again." All the warning in the world couldn't stop the shrill scream that erupted from her as Seth plunged the Millennium in her heart._

_Zuka slumped, hands on her belly, whispering. A glow encased her and quickly vanished into the Scales she had been hiding. She dropped on the ground, black blurring the edges of her vision._

"_I'm sorry...my pharaoh…" She whispered. She couldn't see anymore, but she heard the dim sound of footsteps and a voice that sounded, all too painfully, like Atem's._

'_Goodbye…for now…my love…' She thought as death slowly eased the pain of her wound, and encased her pale form._

**:-:**

Shizuku sat straight up short of breath, groping at her heart. After being 100 percent sure there was no blood, no wound, she tried to catch her breath. After that was done, she put her head back on her pillow and thought about the dream.

How did Zuka know she was going to die? What was that strange glow around her? Why couldn't someone save her?

Rage filled her at the next thought; Priest Seth. There was no doubt in her mind that he was Seto Kaiba's past life.

"I guess this is what Zuka meant by 'we will see each other again' but how did she know. She knew so many things. Some before they happened. How am I supposed to live up to that?"

Atem flashed into her mind. "I wonder. She loved him so much; did he love her as much? Did ever love someone else? Did he stay a widower or did he remarry? I wonder…"

**:-:**

Sunlight spilled over Shizuku's still sleeping form. She moaned, turned over, and snuggled the sheets again, refusing to wake up.

Once again, the light shined in her eyes, no matter where she turned it found her. She stuffed her head under her pillow and…light?

She groped around and placed her hand firmly on a wrist before flinging the pillow off of her head and giving Tea the nastiest look she could manage at that hour of the morning.

"Good morning!" Tea replied

"It'd be better if I was sleeping."

"Well I'd get up, it's 7:20 and Yugi will be here in ten minutes." With that Tea walked out of the room and shut the door.

At 7:29 Shizuku appeared out of her room and stuffed a piece of toast in her mouth before nibbling away at it.

"Hi Yugi!" Came Tea's voice from the other room. "I think Shizuku is ready, although I just woke her up ten minutes ago." Boy, did she like to talk…

"Hey Yugi," Shizuku walked out of the kitchen to greet him.

"Hey," He was fiddling with some paper in his hand.

"Shall we be going?" Tea chimed

Yugi waited for Shizuku to get out before handing the paper to her. "It's from the Pharaoh." Seeing her slow reaction time, and the toast still protruding from her mouth he said with a smile "Not a big morning person are you?"

Shizuku just grunted in reply.

**:-:**

"Very good Shizuku," replied her math teacher "You have the rest of the period to yourself," he passed by her completed assignment and sought out someone to yell at for making a stupid mistake or miscalculation.

Shizuku pulled out her book and opened it to where she left off. A thin piece of paper fell out.

"Right. I forgot Yugi had given this to me." She opened the note up to reveal a series of dots and squiggles. _No, not dots and squiggles._ She remembered now. _An alphabet, one that Atem made up to talk to Zuka in private before they were married._

Hopefully she could remember it. She closed her eyes and focused on that memory. _Yes, I remember it now._

'_Meet me at the park after school. –Atem'_

How was she supposed to get there without someone giving her a ride? It was half way across town! It dawned on her. All she had to do, now, was wait.

**:-:**

The bell had rung and Shizuku was making sure she took longer at her locker than normal. Dropping books, spilling papers at random moments. (Although not all of them were planned) And just as she had almost given up. Guess who show up?

"Hey, Shizuku…" Tristan did his best imitation of suave.

"Hi Tristan." She faked a big smile.

"You free right now? We could go somewhere. I have a ride."

"Well, you know, I really would love to," She said, grabbing a book from her locker, "but, I promised Tea I would meet her at the park instead of going somewhere."

"Yeah, ok." Tristan turned and walked a few steps before facing her again. "Do you have a ride?"

"Well, I wasn't sure where it was so I was just going to walk around until I found it." Shizuku lied masterfully, putting on her best innocent voice.

"Walk! The park is half way across Domino! Here, you let those feet of yours rest and I'll give you a ride. Here's a helmet." He tossed her one out of his bag.

"Can we stop at Tea's first? I'd love to get out of this hideous uniform." Shizuku said before heading out and hopping on the back of the motorcycle.

**:-:**

Atem picked lazily at the grass beneath him, wondering if Shizuku could have even read that message.

When Atem was about to give up and call it a failed attempt, a pair of arms wrapped themselves lazily around his neck.

"Boo."

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming." Atem smiled.

"Now why would that worry you," Shizuku said, sitting down by him, "you'll live thousands of years. What would it matter if I didn't show up one day at the park?" She put her head on his chest and looked up at him.

"Because," he placed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "I wouldn't be able to do this."

He bent down and kissed her, not letting go. It seemed like forever and a day until they parted, but her heart was telling her to try for forever and two days next time.

Shizuku caught her breath and said, "Well then. I'm glad I didn't miss out."

She paused and finally said. "So, why did you want me to meet you?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I guess I wanted to make sure you were all right. Are you?"

"Yeah… I'm ---" Shizuku stopped suddenly. Something inside was telling her to ask questions. Questions that had formed in her mind after last nights dream. "Why?" she said suddenly.

"Why what?" Atem said, puzzled.

"Why did you let her go? You knew something was wrong that night. You knew she had been acting strangely. You knew she was keeping something from you. Why did you let her go like that?"

"What-"

"Wait. No. I want to know. How did she know?"

"How did who know what?" He looked at her "You're speaking in riddles, Shizuku."

"How did she know she was going to die?"

"Who?" Atem asked quizzically

"Zuka, she had known for months. Had seen it in her dreams repetitively so she wouldn't forget. They haunted her." She looked up at Atem "How'd she know?"

"Shizuku, what do you know of Egyptian beliefs?" He asked softly "Do you know of the Ba? Of the Goddess Ma'at and the deity Anubis and the God Thoth?"

"I know Ma'at is sort of like the ruler of Egyptian heaven you could say. Anubis judges the worthy and unworthy to pass over to the other side with the Goddess Ma'at. And Thoth…all I know is that he is the one, souls are brought to for the judgment."

"Precisely." Replied Atem, "Now do you know what the Ba is?"

"Oh! Yes, the Ba is simply the soul of the deceased."

"Good," he paused "now, in Egypt, we believe there were a pair of scales in the transition between life and death. These scales were the tools to judge people's souls."

"Is that what my Scales do?"

"Not exactly, but I will tell you their connection soon enough. Now, what is Ammut?"

"Ammut is the part-crocodile, part-lion, and part-hippopotamus creature who sit near Ma'at and before Thoth."

"Do you know about the Feather of Truth?"

"No," Shizuku said, caught up in Atem's little history lesson. She absolutely loved Egyptian mythology and legends.

"In the Book of the Dead, legend says Ma'at carries a feather on her head, which is also known as The Feather of Truth."

"Ok…"

"Now, after one dies, according to Egyptian custom, the Ba hangs around the scales, and the deceased itself will be brought upon the God Thoth to be judged, with a scarab beetle placed over the heart to keep it silent throughout the judgment.

"Anubis will ask questions concerning the sins of the deceased, and if necessary, the deceased will attempt to deceive the gods in order to pass through this ordeal and pass to blessed eternity. The Feather of Truth would be placed on one end of the scales and the deceased's heart on the other. Basically, if your heart is weighed upon it and it stays at the same level as the feather, you will be judged as worthy to pass over.

"However, if Anubis caught the deceased lying, or the deceased had done unforgivable sins during his or her life, the heart will slowly gain weight and once the heart's side hits the ground, you will be considered unworthy and you shall be consumed and devoured by Ammut."

"Ok. I still am not sure what this has to do with my Scales though."

"The Scales possess powers that could be used to judge a person's heart for punishment on sins they may have committed. That is what your scales do. Zuka was burdened with dealing with the criminals and traitors of our land. When someone was brought in, she would test them to see if they were guilty of the said crime. If so, they were, well, you need not know how we dealt with traitors in the Days of Shadow."

"But what does that have to do with Zuka knowing."

"Are you sure she knew?"

"I could read her thoughts. My thoughts, I guess…" Shizuku puzzled

"She never said anything, but I might have feared she had Seen."

"Seen? Seen what?"

"As the Scales represent the scales in the afterlife, they also deal with Ba." he started "Zuka could sometimes See, one's deaths. It was her heaviest burden to deal with. She never ignored her visions. She always wanted to help the person in them. She knew she couldn't save them, but she wanted to make sure the good people went to Ma'at."

"That would explain her thoughts, her actions."

"What were her last thoughts, Shizuku? The last thing she saw, heard, said? I want to know."

"She saw the Scales…they we're glowing…she had been glowing too. She had heard footsteps and a voice she thought to be yours. Her final words were that she was sorry, sorry for not telling you." Shizuku stopped, trying to remember the last one, when a voice told her.

"Her last thought…was…'Goodbye…for now…my Pharaoh.'"

Atem gave her a gentle kiss on the brow. "Thank you, I needed to know."


	8. Mausoleum of the Queen

_**Scales of Destiny**_

**Authors' Note: **Seventh chapter, I hope you like. I'm aiming for 17 reviews this time since we're only at 12. Get me up there and I'll update again. Love all you lovely commentors.

**Story Summary: **The Millennium Scales have been passed from Shadi to another worthy of holding them. But as soon as she receives the mysterious Scales, she starts having bizarre dreams about things that happened thousands of years ago. Each dream ends with the same soothing voice and calming face. Can she meet this mysterious stranger in Domino City?

**Chapter Summary: **The day after Shizuku and Atem's meeting in the park and Tea's consistent prodding about what she was doing in the park she went to bed and had an interesting dream…

**Chapter Seven**

_**Mausoleum of the Queen**_

Shizuku shifted quietly in her sleep, a smile creeping into existence on her face from dreams about the previous afternoon.

The Scales hummed merrily, mocking her attitude, on the mantel of her bed.

**:-:**

"_Where am I?" Shizuku thought wearily. "This doesn't feel like a dream…but I'm myself, so it's not a memory or a vision. So…where am I?"_

_She walked farther into the dark cavern she had awakened in. She saw murals on the wall that could only be Egyptian artwork. The musty dust-laced air that filled her lungs told her this could only be some sort of tomb. The question now, wasn't _where_ she was, but more like _whose_ tomb she was in._

_Her feet seemed to lead her to an unknown room seemingly in the heart of everything. It had to be the burial chamber, but why was she here, what was she supposed to see?_

_In the room sat the traditional sarcophagus, which seemed a little more elaborate than most meaning she was very important, and several candle fixtures other than that the room was bare. All her possessions must have been in the previous room._

_Shizuku shivered at the cold and all-enveloping darkness. A candle suddenly flickered to life, then another, and another, until they were all ablaze._

_Now being able to see her surrounding she saw the hieroglyphs covering walls and sarcophagus alike. Curiously, she tip-toed to the mass of gold and jewels and traced the markings with her fingers. To her amazement she could read them:  
_

' _Here our paths divide, but we shall soon meet again. '_

_As if her words were an incantation the flames grew immensely larger and chilled wind shot through the room. A bright flash resonated from the sarcophagus and blinded Shizuku momentarily. When she opened her eyes, a familiar face stood in front of her._

_Looking into the eyes of her former self she suddenly knew why she was here, almost telepathically. _

"_Oh my child," Zuka said dreamily. She stepped from the glowing aura of the candles and became solid. She took Shizuku in her embrace and held her firmly but gently. "I have waited so long for someone to come here. So long for someone to recover the Scales. I could sense you, not to long ago, when you first came to them. I could see my dear Atem through your eyes. Strutting about the world wear clothes of your age like a teenager. Like he was a part of the world. Tell me. How has it occurred?" They separated, Zuka looking into her eyes, curiously._

"_He isn't of our world. He shares a body with Yugi Motou. The only thing similar about them is their hairstyle, violet eyes, and stubbornness. They are almost opposites."_

"_Then if Atem's reincarnation exists, why is he there?" She pondered before asking, "This Yugi, do you love him like I love Atem?"_

"_No!" Shizuku flushed slightly at how loud she had actually yelled "No, I do not love him. Quite frankly, I do not have any feelings beyond friendship for him."_

"_Then, possibly, destiny fated Atem, and only Atem, not his reincarnations, to love me…us." She fidgeted with the wedding band on her finger "Tell me this now, do you love Atem?"_

_Shizuku thought for awhile before coming up with an answer she was sure of. "Yes, I do."_

"_I've been watching you Shizuku, ever since the scales started to hum at your birth. It is humorous how like me you are. Had you been alive in Egypt with me; we could have been twins down to the tiniest traits of our personalities._

"_Now, come here," She continued. Walking over to the sarcophagus she opened a compartment hidden inside the belly. She took out a feather, one of the purest white._

"_The Feather of Ma'at!" Shizuku exclaimed_

"_Yes, I assume it is troublesome to have the one we love in the same body of another, is it not?"_

"_Yes,"_

"_Then come here. Don't be scared, I don't bite dear." She held out her hand till Shizuku took it. Now I will show you a memory of mine. I learned how to do something long ago, something that might come in handy. Close your eyes…and watch…"_

_The vision was clear, she could she Zuka, the Scales, the Feather, and a restrained prisoner. It showed Zuka placing the Feather on one side of the scales and a piece of bloody clothing from the prisoner on the other. Zuka proceeded with the procedure and after talking a flash emanated from the prisoner and another being stood beside him. The prisoner collapsed and the guards swiftly slaughtered the being that had materialized._

"_In that case we were getting an evil spirit out of someone. But, I figure It'll work all the same in this case."_

"_What were you saying to him?"_

"_Ah yes, I asked him questions about what he had done, any possible crimes. Atem will answer them all truthfully, I know he will, and this will cause the feather to become heavier releasing his soul from Yugi Motou and creating a body from his memories."_

"_Are you sure it will work?" Shizuku said skeptically as she received the Feather._

"_It's the only way I know how." Zuka whispered solemnly. "Oh, wait, I have some more things for you." She scurried to a chest and opened it. From inside she took out a beautiful silk dress inlaid with gold, two golden silk slippers, jewelry, a crown, a blanket, and a more relaxed looking dress from the previous one along with a pair of white silk slippers. She took off her cloak she wore and put it in along with her wedding ring before replacing the items and closing the lid and locking it._

"_You're giving me all this?" Shizuku gasped._

"_Yes, it is yours now; I prepared it the night I was killed for whoever would be my next life." She smiled a sweet smile and handed over the necklace which bore the key to the chest. "Here, it is truly yours now. My memories are with you, I have nothing left to hold on to. Please tell Atem I was able to pass on peacefully and assured this night."_

_Zuka took Shizuku's head in her hands and kissed her forehead. "Goodbye child." She burst into a golden glow and disappeared into the sky._

"_And now I have to get out of here…" She said, clutching the chest. "I wish I back in my bed now." She imagined her bed at Tea's house in her mind, and closed her eyes._

**:-:**

Afraid to open her eyes in fear she wasn't actually awake. Cracking her lids slightly, she noticed she was back. Feeling the weight on her stomach she remembered the chest she had received and placed it by her beside before checking the clock. 5:45 a.m. Though an hour from her usual time of waking she got up feeling strangely refreshed.

After getting ready for school (for some reason she didn't even resent the uniform as much) she sat back on her bed and rummaged through the chest till she found Zuka's wedding band and placed it in an envelope after neatly drawing the hieroglyphs for Atem's name on it. She planned to deliver it when he was gone to Joey's today after school.

Shizuku leaned back against the headboard and waited for the rest of the city to wake up and join her. Today seemed like it would be a very good day.


End file.
